What's on this weekend in Melbourne

Discover things to do in Melbourne this weekend, from free events to exhibitions, attractions and places to visit.

The NGV and Arts Centre lit up on a winter night.

This weekend

Japanese actors Takako Matsu and Hokuto Matsumura standing side by side outdoors against a green leafy backdrop, in a still from the romantic drama film 1st Kiss.
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Japanese Film Festival

Celebrate three decades of Japanese cinema on Australian screens at the Japanese Film Festival.

A man holding a piece of paper with a satchel on his shoulder, pointing his arm towards brightly lit shops on the other side of the road behind him.
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Being Human Festival

Bringing Australian humanities research to life in imaginative and engaging ways.

Two performers wearing pale clothing, the man behind a women, whose arm he is hanging onto, against a cloud like backdrop.
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La Bohème

Puccini’s classic Bohemian love story is about youth, beauty, passion and heartache.

Two contemporary dancers pose dynamically against a vibrant blue backdrop.
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Chunky Move: Next Move - Sidhu + Ritchie-Jones

Chunky Move’s flagship platform for independent choreographers returns with an exciting double bill.

Readings bookstore in leafy Lygon Street with cars whizzing past.
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Readings' A Day in Carlton

A celebration of books, culture and community in and around Readings Carlton.

Performer lying on the ground with hands outstretched, blue patterned fabric in the background.
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The Dark Matter of Usulal

A powerful performance of body, bloodline and worlds in motion.

Two young women in school uniform in a purple room, one holding forward an American football.
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Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical

Packed with teen drama and iconic throwback hits.

Two ballet dancers intertwined in a movement in subdued light.
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Emerge

The Australian Ballet School's full-time students take to the stage in an exciting mixed bill.

A team of people holding up a long Chinese dragon at an outdoor festival.
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Colours of Asia: Garden of Wonders

Come and discover where cultures bloom, stories come alive, and wonders await.

A scene from the musical My Fair Lady with Eliza Doolittle in a pink dress and hat and Henry Higgins in a tweed three-piece suit.
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My Fair Lady

Celebrating 70 glorious years since its debut, Lerner and Loewe's My Fair Lady returns to Melbourne.

Two women at a secondhand staff with posters and graffiti on the wall behind them.

Southbank Secondhand Treasure Trail

Come along for a morning of pre-loved gems and vintage treasures at this secondhand market.

A person looking at a large book open to two full-page images.

Folio Pop-Up Market

Discover and shop clothes, accessories, zines and prints by Melbourne’s emerging creatives.

A close up over the shoulder image of someone weaving a small square.

Weaving Play

Drop in for beginner-friendly weaving play session in the Potter Museum of Art.

A couple in Polish traditional dress in Federation Square.

Polish Festival

Experience the colour, flavours and spirit of Poland.

Person's face hidden behind the pile of clothing they're holding, next to racks of clothing.

Stock Up Vintage Market

A curated, culture-led vintage market, with music from DJs playing records.

A person in a pink suit with a large headdress and heavy make-up, smiling and holding a microphone.

Opera Up Late with Reuben Kaye

A wild ride through the world of opera with a decidedly queer lens.

Regular weekend events

A scene from the Myer Christmas Windows showing the toys from Toy Story in a child's bedroom.
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Myer Christmas Windows

The beloved Bourke Street tradition will return with a new festive theme for the 71st season.

People toasting with raised champagne glasses over a formal lunch table with white linen, the Melbourne skyline in the background.
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Festive High Tea at No35

A festive take on traditional high tea, with Christmas pâtisserie and Parisian charm at No35.

Two people seated below a neon sign.
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The Story of the Moving Image

A permanent exhibition that journeys through the past, present and future of the moving image.

A plate of fluffy pancakes with ice-cream and chocolate over the top.
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Chocolate Family Adventure Day

Enjoy an all-inclusive, stress-free family outing filled with fun, creativity, and delicious treats.

Three long narrow boats with people seated in them and a guide standing at the rear of each boat, punting on the lake at Royal Botanic Gardens.
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Punting on the Lake

Glide between the bays and islands of Ornamental Lake on a guided boat cruise.

Man holding an old-fashioned lantern outside illuminated Flinders St Station at night, wearing a suit and cap.
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Hidden Melbourne: Ghosts, Murder and Mystery

Take a spine-chilling journey back in time to explore the rich paranormal realm of Old Melbourne.

Black and white photograph from the 1960s of model, Twiggy, wearing a mini-dress at the Melbourne Cup.
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Swinging 60s

This exhibition looks at what it was like to live in Victoria during the 1960s.

A group of people on a guided walk of the Royal Botanic Gardens, with trees in the background.
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Free Guided Walk

A free guided walk is the perfect way to enjoy the sunny weather in Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

Two people on a stage giving each other a high five, one also holding a microphone.
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Comedy at the Coopers Inn

A comedy club featuring the best local, interstate and international stand-up comedians.

A group of smiling participants in a studio workshop setting, holding glass-domed terrariums.
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Serene Terrarium: Workshop for Beginners

Create your mini plant world while enjoying a soothing cuppa and a calming environment.

People looking up at the trees on a guided walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
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Aboriginal Heritage Walk

Wominjeka: journey into Melbourne Gardens with an Aboriginal guide.

Installation view of the Spartans & Anzacs exhibition at the Shrine of Remembrance, with people walking around the space, reading panels and looking at displays.
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Spartans & Anzacs

This exhibition invites reflection on the enduring values forged in conflict.

Two young adults observing a sculpture in a gallery space with digital and scupltural displays.
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EMERGENCE[Y]

An exhibition exploring how adaptation in a world of flux unfolds in every layer of life.

A gallery space with paintings displayed on one white and one yellow wall, plus a series of totems or tree trunks displayed in a white stand in the middle.
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Ngarn Wa'ngal: Art of the Gum Tree

Discover how the iconic gum tree has inspired centuries of Australian art and culture.

Looking over a blurred shoulder at a table with books displayed.
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World of the Book

Experience the rare, the sacred and the iconic in this one-of-a-kind exibition.

Comedian Celia Pacquola talking into a microphone she holds in her hand, performing live on stage.
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Main Stage: Stand-Up Comedy

Have a laugh with stand-up comedy from Australia's best comedians, plus international drop-ins.

Three ballerinas on a darkened stage in glowing tutu dresses.
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Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty in a Sparkling Show

The classic fairytale is reimagined with glow-in-the-dark costumes and luminous staging.

A still from a videogame depicting a Chinese soldier fighting two warriors in front of an ancient Chinese temple.
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Feng Mengbo: Long March Restart

An free exhibition that playfully reimagines modern Chinese history as a videogame.

Egg yolk pouring out of a long sub sandwich with cheese and salad.
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Gourmet Sandwich Hunt

Elevate your sandwich style with celebrity chef Darren Purchese.

Grilled cheese toastie on a plate.
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Vego Toastie Hunt

Elevate your vego sandwich with celebrity chef Darren Purchese.

Artwork by Margaret Preston depicting Banksia flowers in a pot.
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Margaret Preston

NGV's new retrospective exhibition on Margaret Preston.

A solar eclipse, with light emerging around the edges of the blacked-out sun.
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Solar Tours

Come and experience the wonders of the Sun at the historic Melbourne Observatory.

A dancer performs on a brightly illuminated stage wearing a white tutu and bodice outlined with glowing green neon lights, behind her is a framed portrait of two women.
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Ballet of Lights: Cinderella in a Sparkling Show

The classic fairytale is reimagined with glow-in-the-dark costumes and luminous staging.

Two theatrical costumes on display in front of a red curtain, featured in the ENCORE! exhibition at the Australian Museum of Performing Arts.
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Encore!

50 Objects. 50 Years. One Collection. Treasures from the Australian Museum of Performing Arts.

An egg-shaped figuring with a brown cowboy hat and a pistol.
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NEW26

The return of the much-loved NEW exhibition series at ACCA.

Aerial view of an outdoor market on Southbank promenade, showing the Yarra River with boats on the right, market umbrellas and stalls on the concourse and city buildings in the background.
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Southbank Makers Market

Explore the Southbank Makers Market every Sunday on the promenade at Southgate.

Performer on stage doing circus tricks, acrobats hanging in the air.
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Fijian Flying Circus

A world-first fusion of Fijian storytelling and contemporary circus.

A contemporary Indigenous artwork featuring a black cockatoo against a vibrant pink and marbled background.
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Future Dreaming

Explore 217 original small artworks by First Nations artists in Victoria’s prisons.

Portrait of a woman with her face painted blue and embellished with gold stars, wearing a colourful, fan-like headdress.
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Passage: The Art of Atong Atem

NGV presents the first-ever major solo exhibition of contemporary artist Atong Atem.

A large hanging piece of art showing a person lying back on a rock.
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a/part: Hoda Afshar

A selection of photographic and video projects by Melbourne-based artist Hoda Afshar.

A large group of people in active wear all running on a path in park.
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Run the Tan: Run Club

Start the weekend off on the right foot with a run around the Tan.

Participants on the State Library Victoria Unlocked guided morning tour inside the iconic dome at State Library Victoria in Melbourne.
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State Library Victoria Unlocked

Join an exclusive guided tour and experience State Library Victoria before the doors open.

Novelty wind-up chattering teeth against a yellow background.
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Basement Comedy Club: Weekend Showcase

Bringing you the biggest names and best comedians in the country, and beyond.

Black and white photograph of a busy Melbourne city intersection with trams, cars, people crossing the road, and buildings, dating from around the 1950s or 1960s.
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Making Modern Melbourne

This free exhibition examines the tumultuous twentieth century in Melbourne.

Four rows of people sitting smiling and laughing.
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Kings of Comedy: Underground, Uncensored, Unrivalled

Enjoy stand-up comedy from future stars and celebrity guest headliners.

An Edwardian-era man stands against a split background in front of a First World War battlefield on the left to a peaceful river valley on the right, with a faint musical score overlay and a gold medal at the bottom.

Remembering 'Sep' Kelly

An afternoon of music, remembrance and a remarkable Australian story.

Four women standing and holding up small mosaic lamps in front of a circular neon sign.
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Mosaic Art Classes Melbourne: Turkish Lamp Workshop

Make beautiful mosaic lamps at this Turkish lamp workshop

A green linocut of a flower and foliage printed on paper and a fabric tote bag.
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Tote Bag Block Printing Workshop

Style your bag just the way you like it with block printing in this beginner's workshop.

Group dancing in a Melbourne laneway, led by a man in a bright green and yellow shiny outfit.

Silent Disco Tour: ABBA Theme with Disko Duk Duk

An ABBA themed silent disco tour of Melbourne, hosted by Disko Duk Duk.

Four cabaret performers surrounded by pink and yellow feather fans.
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Cabaret Ridiculous

An hour of variety entertainment that’s as unpredictable as it is unforgettable.

Two people in a commercial kitchen, in front of a bench filled with raw food and cooking utensils, preparing jars of stock.

Stock Paste: Hands-on Cooking Class

In this popular workshop, turn veggie scraps into versatile stock paste and cut food waste costs.

Abstract acrylic painting with a blending texture of deep purples, blues, dark browns, and vibrant splashes of fiery red across the canvas.
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Yolanda Scholz Vinall: Echoing Paths (revised)

Echoing Paths explores the evolution of artistic practice through changing ideas and methods.

Woman in blue dress sitting in a garden, with face upturned.
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Forest Therapy

Unwind with forest therapy (shinrin-yoku) and immerse your senses in nature.

Close-up view of a hand-woven wall covering featuring a textured beige background with minimalist geometric designs.
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Camille Laddawan & Kokoro Kimura (JP): Aura

An exhibition of new works by Camille Laddawan and Kokoro Kimura (JP).

A group of friends playing the board game dungeons and dragons at Fortress Tavern Melbourne, with a Dungeon Master dressed in a witch's costume leading the game.
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Dungeons and Flagons

Forge friendships through adventure at Dungeons and Flagons at Fortress.

A smiling woman with long dark hair and wearing a dark top stands against a brick wall backdrop.

Writing Place and Belonging

Participants learn selected craft techniques with a focus on the importance of writing place.

A black and white photograph of a family eating a meal at the family dining table circa 1950.
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You Have a New Memory

An exhibition that explores how and why we remember, through the lens of the Library's collections.

A white-haired first violinist, with three other violinists playing around him.

Brahms Festival: Third and Fourth Symphonies

Bringing Brahm's large-scale compositions to life with a world-class orchestra.

A band of singers and musicians in a group photo.

Fleetwood Max

Fleetwood Max perform all the epic Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks hits.

Art photograph of a female floating on water viewed from above.
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Physis: Elemental Bodies

An exhibition of works by photographic artist Lilli Waters.

Kids on the grass outside the Shrine of Memorial, holding kit bags and smiling.
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Shrine Kids

Embark on a family adventure with this engaging program designed for discovery at every turn.

Picnic table set for dining with cushions, umbrella and dining settings, in a garden location.
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Laneways Mystery Picnic with Luxury End Location Setup

Follow clues to secret foodie stops and end at a luxury picnic location.

See all events on this weekend

More to explore

People milling around Fed Square at sunset.

What's on today

Discover free events, epic festivals and shows on in Melbourne today.

A night tennis match at Rod Laver Arena.

Major events

From the Australian Open to the Melbourne Cup, major events take centre stage throughout the year.

A large blue LED Christmas tree in the city at night.

What's free in Melbourne this month

Everything to see, do and enjoy in Melbourne for free this month.

A chef cooking meat skewers over a flaming grill.
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What's on in November

Things to do in Melbourne in November, from free events to exhibitions and places to visit.